Teacher's aide arrested on child neglect charge

Jessica Scolaro witnessed girl being beaten with spoon, deputies say

DELTONA, Fla. - A Volusia County school employee was arrested on allegations that she did not protect a child from being beaten with a wooden spoon, according to investigators.

Jessica Scolaro, 28, a teacher's aide at Discovery Elementary School in Deltona, was charged Tuesday with child neglect and obstructing an officer without violence.

According to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, deputies were called by a Department of Children & Families worker who reported a 5-year-old girl with severe bruises on her buttocks.

The girl told investigators that Dan Labombard, 27, spanked her for getting into trouble at a church where she was attending a YMCA summer camp, sheriff's investigators said. Deputies are looking for Labombard, who is Scolaro's boyfriend.

Deputies said Scolaro initially denied she or Labombard hit the child, but later told them that she "trusted Labombard wasn't hurting (the girl.)"

Deputies then arrested Scolaro.

School officials said Scolaro is on a "displaced list" because there is not a position available for her due to budget cuts. She currently is not assigned to a school, but is still considered an employee.

The school board could remove Scolaro from her position.

The 5-year-old girl and her brother have been put in their father's care, according to DCF.

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